Italy's rival populist leaders to report on coalition talks

May. 14, 2018

ROME (AP) — Italy's president has summoned rival populist leaders to see if they've nailed down a coalition deal, more than 10 weeks after elections yielded a political impasse.

Luigi Di Maio, who leads the 5-Star Movement, and Matteo Salvini, head of the anti-migrant League, have separate appointments to brief Italy's head of state, President Sergio Mattarella, later Monday at the Quirinal Palace.

The two euroskeptics met for hours Sunday and several times last week to iron out policy differences for a deal that could satisfy largely different constituencies.

Both ran for premier in March 4 elections for Parliament. With neither willing to cede to the other, it is expected they'll suggest that Mattarella tap someone else for premier.

The 5-Star Movement is Parliament's largest party but far short of a majority.